Hollywood Dave Stann discusses Fresh Deck Poker with PNB

It’s been a long time since the poker world had a site try to take an innovative and creative approach to their gaming client, which is precisely what the new online poker site Fresh Deck Poker is trying to do as they prepare for their official launch date, according to the site’s Cardroom Manager and well-known spokesman Hollywood Dave Stann.

We recently sat down with the Blackjack legend, poker pro, and advantage gambler extraordinaire Hollywood Dave Stann to discuss his role with Fresh Deck Poker; which from the looks of it Fresh Deck Poker may just be what the flailing online poker community in the US needs right now: A fresh start.

PokerNewsBoy: Before I get into your new project, what has Hollywood Dave been up to since Black Friday?

Hollywood Dave: Wow what a long strange trip it’s been since Black Friday. After losing my online sponsorship (as well as a 5-figure chunk of cash), I did what most US online pros did: blew a ton of money at the WSOP! I ended up cashing in a few events but nothing spectacular. Hit the Borgata Open and then went back to LA, but by the fall the realization that (thanks to the DOJ) I was now little more than a live cash game grinder started to set in.

I’ve had a lot of awesome experiences coming up through the ranks of blackjack and poker over the years, and just wasn’t content sitting at a poker table grinding out a living for the rest of my life. I wanted a new challenge. I had done a fair amount of iGaming consulting over the years, so I started actively looking for another awesome project to work on…

PNB: … And for the past 8 months you have been working on a new project called Fresh Deck Poker, could you explain your role with the company and how you got involved?

HD: I was approached last October to do some consulting for a cool San Francisco startup company called Idle Games. They’d just launched their first Facebook game called Idle Worship, a really awesome polytheistic god game that really raised the bar for art, quality, and truly social game-play. And for their next game, they wanted to create the best poker platform anyone’s ever seen. After writing some initial core logic & poker functionality for them, they offered me a full time gig in January & I’ve been here in SF ever since.

PNB: What kind of features and innovations can poker players expect from Fresh Deck Poker?

HD: First of all, you’ve never seen a poker game look like this. Up til now, there hasn’t been anything really revolutionary in the realm of what’s technically and artistically possible for a poker platform. Most of the graphics are trapped in 1997, or (especially when it comes to Facebook games) can become so busy with ads and spam that it’s hard to play the game itself.

We created a really unique table view, with literally millions of combinations of player avatar customizations, and tons of interesting table environments. We also included some fun social gaming elements, like an XP/Level Up system, in-game Challenges, and the ability to seamlessly switch between desktop and Mobile versions of our game.

But the big secret is; we built this from the ground up to be ready for US regulatory changes. We put the highest real-money standards in place so that we can offer real-money poker just as soon as it’s possible. I like to think of Fresh Deck Poker as the best of both worlds: social today, real money tomorrow.

PNB: According to the Fresh Deck Poker Facebook Page the site will be available in Beta-Mode at the end of July, with a full launch planned for September if all goes according to plan; when launched will the site accept US players and will the site host real-money poker tables, or will it be something more along the lines of subscription-based online poker?

HD: No subscription here; totally Free to play on Facebook and Mobile. Big tourney schedule with cash prizes: Totally sick art & game-play: You’ve never seen poker look like this.

PNB: Now that you are through the development stages, what will your role be with the company moving forward?

HD: There’s still a really awesome start-up feel to this company, so we all wear many hats! I split time between Product Managing ongoing development of new game features, as well as my primary role as Cardroom Manager. Tons of awesome new stuff coming your way, and truly amazing to have a job where every day I get to try & make the coolest new poker game even Faster, Stronger and Better. I’m excited for what comes next!

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on Tuesday, July 31st, 2012 at 9:56 am and is filed under Interviews.
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